Motor for clothes washers



p 1935- R. D. EDSELL 2,013,301

MOTOR FOR CLOTHES WASHERS Filed Nov. 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l ll 35 Q'i 3a 36 q\ 3 4 INVENTOR Z6 Z5 Royal DE ell Wr/ZzaiQ/D ATTORNEY} Sept. 3, 1935. R. D. EDSELL 2,013,301

MOTOR FOR CLOTHES WASHERS Filed Nov. 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 AITORNEY5 INVENTOR Royall yaks BY mum W IIIIIIIIIIII.

Patented Sept. 3, 1935 OFF! E 3 Claims.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a mechanical clothes washing device which Twill be automatic in its operation, whereby it will not require the services of an operator.

Another object is to provide a device of this character that preferably will be operated entirely by fluid pressure, such as water obtained "in itself and so designed that it will fit into any stationary laundry tub or similar vessel, with directly from a suitable faucet.

A further object is to provide a light portable device of this character that will be complete which every home and apartment is equipped.

' With these and such further objects in view as will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists of the following construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter disclosed in the specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a, part hereof and wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown though it is to be understood that such changes, variations and modifications as may fall within the scope of the claims hereinafter appended are within the purview of my invention.

, In the drawings.

" Figural is a plan view of the machine.

Figure 2 is a transverse section onthe line 2-2 of Figure 1. I

Figure 3 is a front elevation ofthe device. Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail plan showing the manner in which the valve actuator functions in inent.

accord with the position of the drive gear segv Figure 6 is an enlarged detail section showing the manner in which the water attached to a water faucet.

1 cylinder, preferablylof the hydraulic type, is insupply hose is As shown in the accompanying drawings, a

' dicated at it and is provided with a head I and rear wall l2 connected together by suitable stay 'bolts' l3. The lower p'ortion of said cylinder is provided with flanged extensionssuitably fastened toa horizontal supporting plate l4 by 3 .means of screws or bolts l5.

The piston rod extends through a suitable'packing'nut Hi, the

piston rod being pivotally fastened to a link I9 secured to a rack bar 29 provided with the usual teeth 2|. Rack bar 23 is guided in its movement by guides 22 secured to plate l4.

An agitator drive shaft is indicated at 23. Said drive shaft extends through the plate I4 and is rotatably mounted in a post 24 carried by said plate I4. The drive shaft 23 carries an agitator 24' which is vertically slidable thereon and which is so mounted on said shaft as to be rotatable therewith but not independently thereof. The agitator 24 is provided with down- 5 wardly depending stirring blades 25 and said agitator is constructed of a buoyant material whereby it will float at all times on the surface of the water containing the material to be washed or otherwise treated. The lower end of shaft 10 23 carries a stop collar 26 to prevent the agitator 24 from slipping from said shaft.

Mounted on the upper end ofthe shaft 23 is a segmentally-shaped gear 21, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth 2| of the rack bar 20. Said l5 gear 21 carries posts 28 to which arms 29 are pivoted each carrying a pin .30 to which a rod 3| is secured. The opposite ends of said rods 3| loosely extend through bearing pins 32 secured to a valve actuator 33 which is provided in its 20 periphery with notches or shoulders 34. The valve actuator 33 is carried by a valve shaft 35 which is rotatably mounted in the body of a valve 36 and extends through a packing'nut 36'. M Said shaft supports a four-way valve 31. A 25 water or other fluid inlet pipe for. the valve 36 is indicated at 38 and an outlet or discharge pipe from said valve is indicated at 39. The inlet pipe 38 may be connected by a suitable hose 40 (see Fig. 6) to a member ll supporting a rubber 3o gasket 32, a lock nut 43 being also provided and adapted to be held in its proper position by means of a threaded member 44 which may be fastened to any suitable water faucet 45 by means of two or more pointed set screws 46.

The valve casing 36 carries a pivoted lever or detent ti! the lower part of which carries a compression spring 48 having the effect of tending to force the upper end of the lever or detent into engagement with the peripheral edge of the valve 40 actuator 33 and against one of the shoulders or notches 34 to limit the degree of rotation of said valve actuator 33. Each of the rods 3| also carries a, compression spring 49 bearing against their respective pins 30 and 32 and tending by their action 5 to rotate the valve actuator 33 in either one of its extreme positions and to maintain the end of the lever or detent 47 in engagement with either one of the shoulders 34. The segmentally-shaped gear 21 also has secured thereto dogsor trips 53 5 either of which, upon rotation of said gear to one of its extreme positions, is adapted to engage the 1 lower end of the pivoted detent 41 to trip the same either one of the shoulders 34. This action forces described the detent M Will engage against the other of said notches or shoulders 34 and hold the valve Si in its new position and until the gear 2? has again been rotated to its extreme position in the opposite direction.

The horizontal supporting plate is carriesa vertically extending safety cover or plate 5! slotted .as indicated in Fig. 3 to permit reception of the ends of the rods 3! during their movements and-it is also slotted to receive the inlet pipe 38; The

supporting plate 14 also has fastened thereto bracket portions 52 the ends of which are U shaped to conform in shape to the upper side edges 7 of a laundry tub the righthand brackets being hinged as at 52" and being also provided with set screws 53 for tightening. purposes. The lefthand brackets 52 are preferably slidably fastened to the 'supportingpl'ate is and adjustable as to their po- I sition in connection therewith by means of the winged nuts 54 thereby permitting variation of the width of the device as a Whole to conform to the .width' of the laundry tub to which it is to be applied. Valve is connected by a pipe 55 to the forward end of the cylinder l 9 and also by a pipe 56 to the-rear of the cylinder l0.

'The operation of the device isas follows:

The machine is suspended by means of the U- shapedbracketjportions 52 within a laundry tub and connection is made with a suitable hydrant or water faucet to the inlet pipe 38 by means of therubber hose 46. The water, soap and materials to be washed are then placed in the tub and the connections with the water faucet or hydrant are opened.- The water from the faucet may be made toilow in any desired volume and pressure through the inlet pipe 38 and through the fourway valve 31.

This water is diverted by said-valve through the pipe through which it is carried to the forward endof the cylinder Ill and creates a pressure'against the piston head it forcing'said piston head tomove rearwardly in said cylinder. If the cylinder at the rear of said piston head contains water this exhaust water from the cylinder is forced through thepipe 56 to the four-way valve and is diverted bysaid valve-through the exhaust or outlet pipe 39 from which it may be carried by an Outlet or waste hose (not shown) and to an adjoining laundry tub, sink or sump. As the piston head is forced 'rearwardly by pressure of water thereagainst, rack 2B is in consequence moved in the same direction. The teeth :22 of said rack, inasmuch as they mesh with the teeth of gear segment 2! causes said segment to rotate with its shaft 23 which rotates the agitator 26 to thereby agitate or stir up the water and materials therein and contained in the tub. As the piston travels to is extreme rearward position the segment 2l likewise rotates in a clock-wise direction (Fig. l) to compress the left-hand spring 4Q. When the extreme rearward position of the piston has been der of the valve actuator 33. Water then flows reached the right-hand trip or dog 58 on the gear segment 2'! trips the detent ll to releaseit from from the inlet pipe 38, through the valve 31, through the pipe 55 and to the rear of the cylinder it! thereby exerting pressure against the rear of the piston head I6 to move it forwardly in its cylinder and forcing the water in the forward'portion of said cylinder through the. pipe 55, valve 3'? and from the outlet or. discharge pipe 39. :The device may be operated automatically and continuously, in anobvious manner, the parts being actuated by the water pressure against the front or rear of the piston head as the'case may be to actuate the movable par'tsand to eject water from the cylinder in the manner heretofore explained.

Various modifications may be resorted to with out departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Theinvention claimed is:

1. a clothes washer having a cylinder, a pis ton therefor, a rack connectedto said piston, and a rotatable gear member at one side of said cyl-' inder, said gear member meshing with said rack, an: automatic control-therefor comprising a valve positioned on the opposite side of the gear memher from said cylinder andconnected to opposite ends thereof for controlling the. admission of'fluid to said cylinder and the discharge of fluid there from, a valve actuator connected to said valve, means on said gear memberconnected to said valve actuator and tending to move said valve actuator to change the, position of said. valve,

means pivoted upon a -fixedpart of the valve acting to retain said valve ina given ,positionand means carried by saidgear member adapted to trip said retainingmeansfor permitting said valve to assume a different position. v

2. In a clothes washer having a cylinder a reciprocatory piston ther-ein, a rack connected to said piston, agear meshing with'said rack, and a-n automatic control therefor comprising a valvepositioned onthe opposite side of said gear from said cylinder and connected to opposite ends of the cylinder for controlling the vadmission of fluid to-said cylinder to; either endof said piston, a valve actuator connected to said valve and provided with a shoulder thereon, a spring-pressed detent pivoted upon'eu fixed part of the'va'lve adapted-to be engaged'with said shoulder, spring means connecting said gear'and valve actuator and tendingby itsaction to move.

said valve actuator-to change the position of said valve and 'a'dogfastened to said gear for triping a support adapted to, be suspended on the sides of a tub or other receptacle and compris ing a cylinder connected is said support, a,re-'

ciprocatory. piston in saidcyl'inder, a pistonrod connected to said piston, a rack bar pivotally connected to said piston rod, guide means on said support. forrgui'ding the movement of said rack bar, a g'ear meshing with said rack bar, a valve mounted on said support, a valve actuator connested to said valve; rods connected. to said gear pressed detent normally; holding said valve actuator in a givenposition and dog members? carried by said gear and adapted to trip said detentto permit movement of said valve actuator by the and slidably connected to said valve actuatorf, i compression springs carried by said rods, a spring- 

